Thursday, August 28, 2008

How a 20 Year Old Girl Was Burnt to Death Watched by a Cheering Mob

Fr. Edward Sequeira, a priest belonging to the Society of Divine Word (SVD), was one of those who was seriously injured when his mission station was attacked by the mob in Orissa.

Currently recuperating at Burla Medical College Hospital, Sambalpur, Fr. Sequeira, upon gaining consciousness, narrated the story to his brother Commodore Valentine Sequeira who writes:

A large mob of more than 700 people were returning after attending the cremation of Swami Laxmananand Saraswati who was killed along with four others Saturday evening by suspected Maoist guerrillas at his Jalespata ashram.

The mob was chanting anti-Christian slogans and when they reached Padampur in Bargarh district, they attacked the orphanage where Fr Edward lived.

Ms. Rajni, a 20 year old student who lived in the orphanage and was also working as an auxiliary nurse in the orphanage confronted them.

When Fr Sequeira arrived at the spot, the mob locked him and Rajni into separate rooms, and ordered the children to vacate the orphanage. The mob then ransacked Fr Sequeira's room, poured petrol on him, Rajni and set the orphanage on fire.

The ruins of the orphange that was burned own.

"I was engulfed in flames, I could hear the cries of Rajni and the mob was cheering and shouting through the windows," recalls Fr Sequeira.

He however, managed to crawl to the bathroom, beat out the flames and closed the windows.

"When I started to suffocate I found a crack on the wall that was damaged in the attack and kept my nose there to breath some air. All the while I could hear the cries of Rajni from the next room where she was writhing in agony. After sometime, there was silence and I thought she must have managed to escape from the room," recalled Fr Sequeira.

Unknown to Fr Edward, the girl was burnt alive and had breathed her last.

Fr. Edward Sequeira SVD recovering in the hospital.

People from the neighborhood who heard the cries of children rushed to the rescue, broke the walls and brought him to safety. That is when the mob attacked him again outside the orphanage and beat him up mercilessly till he became unconscious. He was initially rushed to the hospital at Padampur and later with the help of local officials was shifted to Burla Medical College Hospital, in Sambalpur.

"The cries of Rajni and the guilt of helplessness in saving her life will always haunt me," Fr. Edward sighs.

30 comments:

I don't understand what these mobs of fools was trying to prove by attacking an orphanage, or any place for that matter. Did they think that these people were directly involved in the killing of some mediocre (never heard by me) leader of theirs? Did they think the place that they burned down was involved in any way with that killing. Just a bunch of jobless people who have no clue of what justice, fundamentalism or have no value for human rights in itself. Just because they were in huge numbers, they thought they could do something like this and get away with it. Its a pity. Shame on them, shame on their very human existence.

And if they think they've done their religion and their "Gods" proud, they're totally mistaken... Its a disgrace that they hold such a pathetic and distorted view of justice and religion.

Hi,Good job "Orissa burning". Very often the Christian world is blind to what's going on in the world and what our christian brothers and sisters are facing. As a credit to your work I have repeated the story in my blog (http://virtualpreacher.org/archives/316#more-316)

This is very clear, if the Christians were to forcefully convert, there would be no non-Christians in India -for your knowledge Christianity has been in India for 2,000 years (brought by the Apostle of Christ Himself, St. Thomas) and India had been ruled by the British for quite some time. If forced conversions were on the minds of these people, there would not be any non-Christians left in India. Hence all of this is a lie, if at all there were conversions (especially in the Catholic Church), it is only willingly done, afterall for someone who would see the acts of the Christians like that of Mother Teresa, one might see that there is something in here, that is missing elsewhere.

The real reason for this violence against Christians is one reason only, to uphold and maintain the caste system. Because as per this caste system, one person cannot view another of a different caste as equal. Thus any attempt to promote equality of rights and dignity is met with violence. Christians promoting education and healthcare are at the forefront of bringing dignity to each person (something unheard of in ancient India or even pre-British India) and making them aware of their rights. This cannot be denied by any person (whether Hindu or not), and neither can anyone deny the way that the caste system is structured.

Let me categorically state, without the caste system, the Hindu society will collapse. Thus all endeavours to bring equality in society will be met with VHP/ Bajrang Dal/ BJP with axes, swords, fire, iron rods, etc. Let us wait and see how things unfold in Orissa.

Remember GOD (in whom I believe) is not dead. When humans don’t raise their voice against such atrocities (as the world is practically turning a blind eye), nature will take the cue and unfold something that the state of Orissa has never seen and never will want to see.

They will surely not want to see their own charred (how do you think GOD feels when HIS own are treated like this), let us pray that GOD will show mercy on these ignorant people, they do not know WHO they are hurting.

India is proud of itself being one of the unique countries in tolerance, peace and justice. We stand in attention when we sing the National Anthem, we don't kill animals because it has life, we don't allow the National Flag to touch the ground; but we kill people forgetting that the human blood and persons are ultimately the same. So we adhere to foriegn things (clothes, animals, songs and music, which is not our proximate part) but forget and hate our own brothers and sisters....ALL INDIANS ARE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.... LONG LIVE THE FOREIGNERS? WHATS THE DIFFERENCE?

In 2000 years the world has done all it can to wipe out the name of Jesus Christ.History shows how Civilizations right from the mighty Rome was wiped out.Dont mess around with the living God. He does not need our help to bring down HIS judgement on HIS children who are totured to death.Remember you who today cheer at the death of those you what torched and killed, THEIR BLOOD WILL BE FOR GENERATIONS UPON YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN AND IN PAIN AND DREADED ILLNESS WILL YOU AND YOURS DIE..Be careful as you mess around with God's chosen children.

I wept for the very last time for this great nation of mine...when I saw Gujarat burning.This nation is not a mother but a soulless harlot who kills her children for meat..burn India burn..you dont need a Pakistan, your destruction will come from within you..for you have with your own hands ripped the flesh of your children to feed your friends..you will watch with horror when they will turn you into the pit of demons ...your streets will lie desolate ..washed with the blood of innocents...your fields will waste away parched for forgiveness..I have no hope for India. Once I wept for you, never again a single tear for you.Never again for you, wretched mother

It is no wonder that Orissa has been plagued with natural disasters like floods in the past. It is nothing but the Lord's punishment on these stupid fanatics. And I will not be surprised if there is another disaster to come up on them a lot more worse than the last. The Lord does not need an army or any of these petitions to punish those who torment His people. There will be nothing that can stand against His Mighty hand when He strikes them down. (Quoted from the Holy Bible)" Our God is a merciful, loving & forgiving God." This is what Christianity is all about. I hope that these fools understand it and stop there nonsensical and un called for violence.

I am a Hindu by birth, but believe in praying to a living God. I workship and adore a Living God... and I can vouche that my living God does not want his people to behave like this. These people have no religion, no family, no jobs. Just want to kill time and kill people. An idle mind is a devil's workshop, so it is the devil in them that is making them do these things. They will one day burn their own Mother, wife and daughter... because they dont have a God. We have to pray for them. We should as Indians pray for such people who are living a life as mere animals.Wish they had a human heart.

No religion teaches a person to kill, burn and destroy. So we all Hindus, Muslims, Christian should speak out and stop this kind of attacks on human beings. Today, if we fail to speak, tomorrow they will surely attack another religion. So we have to be united and speak and act together. If they still dont stop what they are doing and dont give the Indians the freedom to act or workship the religion they are born in or choose to acknowledge and workship, we have no other better choice than to approach the UN.

Mother Tresa was a living Saint and that is why she treated every human as a human and creation of God, no matter which religion they follow.Shame on we Indians to have such people who have no heart to be called as Indians.

What's happening in my country?Why the CHRIST followers are being burnt by the mobs? Infact they do not know what is conversion? Even I am a hindu by birth and proud to be a hindu since I am a citizen of Hindu desh. But I understood Jesus,accepted Jesus and following Jesus.I am a Hindu but my faith is Christianity.Nobody forced me to change my faith...nobody forced me to convert...Every one has right to express the truth and change their faith aswell. Let those provoking leaders understand their faith and preach the same instead of opposing and killing other faith. GOD is in control...HE takes care...Let us pray together...I believe that oneday,these hard core mobs also understand the love of JESUS and follow HIM. My Bible says.." EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW ...AND EVERY TONGUE MUST CONFESS...."

No body can fight God for long. Nobody can fight God's children and get away. In the midst of it all, the One being persecuted is Christ himself. Today, Jesus is looking at orissa and says, "Why do you persecute me??" Let us pray that God will bring about the justice that the government and those in so-called authority could not bring. In His time, he makes everything perfect. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, these are indeed the end times.....lets us cry out together as we have the greatest power on earth...greater than million nuclear bombs...THE POWER OF PRAYER.

Dear All,The greatest of worst ever persecution has happened against Chirst or Christians. The result was not wiping out Christians or Christ's teachings. History shows that clearly. Simple reason: As someone has already put it, we cannot fight the real God.

Also, Pls try to understand that Christ is not for christians. He died for all Humanity. There is no born Christian in this world. Everyone by choice has accepted Jesus as his personal saviour, in the same way, many of the western people come here and accept Hinduism and its sweet culture.

Leave all these, we very well know that we all die one day and we have no control over that. In this short time, why do we kill others and what do we gain by this to us and our own children. Even most of the animals in forest do not kill their own types. So, where are we my beloved ones? Are we worse than animals in the 21st century?

I can only cry and pray to the God and God alone. Because for God, all the people in the world are the same and his children. He doesnt want anyone to be perished irrespective of their beliefs and caste and religion.

How can the police and the government stand by and allow the mob to do as they please? Is India a democracy? It's an absolute shame and seems to suggest that the government is on the side of these murderers and is using them to persecute christians. I wonder how fast the prime minister would get off his chair and do something if one of his own relatives was being burnt to death. When the time for retribution comes, God will remember every one of these innocent christians who have given their lives - not one of them will have died in vain.

These our troubled (testing)times and we must pray to our Heavenly Father to give us the strength to face the tribulations and hold on to our faith like sister Rajni did. My family joins me to sincerely pray for all the departed souls for the supreme sacrifice,Our Father watches from above and will suitably reward them at the appropriate time.I feel deep greif for the people who have been victims of this mindless violence. But note Remember it was the same mob who crucified Jesus Christ. It was the same mob that had stoned Stephen to death. But the word still lives on. For Christ is real and all amount of hysterics by any community/race/religion will be of no avail.Today it is Orissa tomorrow it may be any state.

I call upon all Christians to stay calm and not react whereby Jesus said "(Before all these things take place, however you will be arrested and persecuted: you will be handed over to be tried in synagogues and be put in prison: you will be brought before kings and rulers for my sake. This will be your chance to tell the Good news)"( Luke21:12-13).

It is easy to blog or donate a part of your earnings for the victims. But it is not so easy to spread the word. Hold on to the truth and the truth will set you free.

It is terribly painful to go through the harassment. CAN SOMETHING BE DONE TO UNITE LIKE MINDED PEOPLE to stand and raise as ONE voice. What is the solution, What needs to be done, Only educated people read these blogs, what about ignorant men ruled by political leaders. CAN SOMEONE GIVE A CLUE AS TO WHAT CAN be done together to stand up for this cause.....I want to help but how.......money.....but more than that is needed...SOMETHING to help people identify the true values apart from any religion. Can a set of values common for all religions, that are supporting HUMAN VALUES be formulated with united effort from the web community with a set of people to correct it and then educate the crowd, the ignorant people, or else start a authoritative GROUP whose voice will be given preference for sure......TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS....HINDU, CHRISTIAN, AND ANY CASTES ALIKE.Can the leaders attention be reached ....?

Nobody can be forced to follow something, IF WE ARE FORCED WE WILL ONLY START HATING THAT...how can a BIG POLITICAL PARTY able to sell this lie AND EVEN MAKE A LAW OUT OF IT....Is there not a discerning politician, basic discernment to speak against such a law....

HOW many religions take such an effort to first die for its religion.....If People have an eye for truth, they can surely find GOD, the true one, from the dust..

When Pilate asked the Lord "What is Truth" Silence was the answer, as it can only be perceived not spoken about....WILL PEOPLE PERCEIVE THE TRUTH.

This leaves me with nothing left to say about the unhumane-ness of humanity and the banality of it all. I can only wonder how those who did it could muster up the courage to attack a 'human being' in such a despicable manner, blinding themselves to the fact that in the end people are still people, whatever faith, religion, caste or creed they come from. I cannot even begin to express the heart-wrenching futility and sadness that fills me up when i read this piece...

But i sincerely appreciate this awareness that MUST be made known... not to evoke more wrath and retaliating anger at the 'others' but to live with the 'hope' that some dawning and realization may come soon to us and to them- as an appeal to the inner being of universal humanity... that I believe still lives in every single being.

I am a Hindu... and I say with FULL FAIT and PRAYER to LORD SHIVA that all those who were involved in these activities or cowardness will pay the price for this.

All the 700, 1000 or 5000 whatever number... their life will be ruined not only for this life, but for all the re-births if they will take, they will pay the price for it by thier painful life and painful death.

Once again mankind has proven that he/she is no different from an animal. These Christian community have been serving thier own country and people and what they got in the end was totally uncalled for.

I hope that the Hindu fanatics would read this!

For all you might know, these so called terrorists could have been wife beaters, drunkards, cheats and living a life of sins and they wanna cleanse the Christian community?

I really salute the Cristians in Orissa for holding on to thier faith despite being run down.

Remember, GOD is not blind cos he's a living GOD and HE will ensure that this injustice done to HIS children will not go unpunished!

Praise The LordLORD I pray open the eyes of these people, that they may know the Truth, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. John 8:32LORD You Said “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge”. Hosea 4:6 So Father in Heaven I pray reveal the TRUTH that they may know who You are. Amen!!I want to ask two questions to all who have taken the responsibility for all the damages, destructionto the Christians?1) If you die where will you go? (Heaven/hell)If you think, what you have been taught in this world that if you do good you will receive good, Presume what you have been doing (called good), will it lead you to heaven? and if so, at the gate of Heaven you see God standing, and asks you, “Why should I let you in to My Heaven”? 2) What will you answer? Will you tell Him1) “Lord for You I have stopped people from preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.2) “Lord for You I have stoned people who were preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.3) “Lord for You I have Burned the Churches, for they were preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.4) “Lord for You I have Burned people alive for they were preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.5) “Lord for You I have Killed people for they were preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.“Lord because this is the teaching they were giving from the BIBLE to the people …..

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and men. 1Timothy2:5Jesus said “I am The Way, The Truth and The Life.” John 14:6Jesus said “No one comes to the Father except through Me”. John 14:6 Jesus Said “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, They follow me, I give them eternal life and no one can snatch them from My hand”. John 10:27“No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” John 3:13 – Jesus Christ himself.Jesus said “So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time”. Mark 13:23God Said “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge”. Hosea 4:6 “Believe in Lord Jesus Christ and be Saved – you and your household”. Acts 16:31

What do you think; will GOD say to you? so called Religious people.I want you to ask a question to your self, will this Killings and Destruction be accepted by God? Did God tell you to do this Killing people, Destroying Churches?

My Bible says “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.” John 10:10

This is what our LORD Jesus taught us “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

My Beloved Brothers and Sisters, Love and peace be with you forever, We give Glory to GODWe worship true and living GOD“Believe in Lord Jesus Christ and be Saved – you and your household”. Acts 16:31The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything. We Still Bless You in the Matchless name of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.God Bless You, Bro. Alex Dhanvate.MumbaiIndiaWe are Praying for the torchured brethren

the govt of orissa is a sick person..instead of focussing on education they easily fool the people by taking agenda on things which are not important..the people any way are uneducated..and then they have this caste system ...very bad for these peoplehope the bajrang gets banned..,thos people who did this (attacking innocents) slowy get punished.

christianity is cent percent tolerant religion to the core. Had this been meted out to Islam, they would have avenged the killing 1:50.Hindu fanatical groups should be accounted for the loss of human life and property. Banning these organization is the need of the hour. Our bureaucrats should take Israeli mind set up to fight this malady.

arthritis attacks only the soft part of the body so is fanatic hindus attack the lambs. They will also one day come to the christian flock by their brutal history just as St.paul the apostle became a greatest missionary in the Church.

It is unbelievable. I am Muslim from India and majority of my friends are Hindus. I believe these atrocities, although done in the name of religion, is done for personal gains. A powerful patron with loads of money sponsoring the unemployed and uneducated, story of every mob. Mob has no brains and I bet as an individual almost everyone of the mob will never think of doing something like this. Instead of accusing we have to educate people of their actions ... and hold the individual responsible. Capital punishment is the best option for the powerful barons. It is disgusting and I am unable to muster words to write anymore ...

Hey, Ive placed a link to your blog on mine http://thereckoningcat.blogspot.com/I really think its time we started focusing on a comprehensive plan against terror irrespective of the perpetrators because what happened in Orissa and Godhra is far worse than what happened in Bombay and I'm saying this living in the city and having personally known people at the Taj and Trident. In both these cases the rioters were Indian attacking Indians which is shameful and a bastardisation of the values we claim to uphold.

its really very unfortunate to see this hapenning, and how biased is the media not publishing the truth. i feel there is deception more deeper than i thought. for all those who have suffered i know the Lord Jesus will bless them in unimaginable measure both here and in heaven. I pity all the people who have done such a grave acts agianst the Lord, i wish they be forgiven than to enter Hell and the lake of fire.

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